Concentrator.



L. W. BARBER.

CONCENTRATOR.

APPUCATION FILED FEB. 10. 1915.

1 04,333. Patented Nov. 7; 1916.

2 SHEITS-SHEET l.

L. w. BARBER. CONCENTRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I0, 1915.

l 20%, 33 3. Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

amvewlioz UNTTE LYNN W. BARBER, OF HETLANID, SOUTH DAKOTA.

CONCENTRAT 0R.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. *7, 1916.

Application filed February 10, 1915. Serial No. 7,327.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LYNN W. BARBER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hetland, in the county of Kingsbury and State of SouthDakota, have invented'new and useful Improvements in Concentrators, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in concentrators for ore separatorsof the reciprocating type, and particularly to improvements in theconstruction of .the' separating elements proper whereby the preciousmetal is separated from the material by which it is carried.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel constructionof concentrating or separating mechanism, by means of which the materialis carried through a long range of travel within acomparatively smallworking area and subjected throughout such course to separating actionsby which maXimum eiiiciency of operation is secured.

A further object of the'invention is to provide a construction ofmechanical concentrator or separator which is economical in constructionand operation.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination andarrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevationof a concentrator or separator embodying my invention, showing only somuch of the frame and operating mechanism as is necessary to illustratethe invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, some of theagitator blades. being omitted. Fig.3 is a sectional plan view on theline 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section through theseparating devices at one side of the center of theapparatus. Fig. 5 isa horizontal transverse section on line 55 of Fig. 4. Figs. 6, 7 and 8are respectively, perspective views of the central pan of the upperseparating series, one of the intermediate separator pans of the series,and the central separator pan of the bottom section or series. Fig. 9 isa detail view of one of the agitators. Fig. 10 is a detail View of theoperating shaft.

In carrying my invention into practice, I provide a separating mechanismwhich includes a main frame 1 which may be of ordinary construotion, andsuperposed reciprocating tables or separator frame sections 2 and 3,which are reciprocated simultaneously in opposite directions through themed um of suitable mechanism, such as the crank and pitman or eccentricand pitman devlces commonly employed.

. The tables or frame sections 2 and 3 respectively carry upper andlower sets or serles of separating devices, the said sets or series ofdevices'each consisting of a series of separating pans, the pans of theupper ser es being adapted to receive the material, which is passedtherefrom to the pans of the lower series, the tailing's being finallydischarged from one of the pans of the latter.

The pans of the upper series consist of a central pan 4, whichconstitutes a receiving and separating pan, and a series of plainseparating pans 5 on opposite sides thereof, while'the pans of the lowerseparating series consist of a central separating and discharge pan 6and plain separating pans 7 oniopposite sides thereof.

The pan 4 is made of sheet metal and is of rectangular or oblongrectangular form, and is provided with an imperforate bottom, side.walls 8 and end walls 9, the said end walls 9 being of materially lessheight than the side walls, while each of the pans 5 and 7 which arealso made of sheet metal, and of rectangular or oblong rectangular form,is of less dimensions than the pans 4 and 6 and comprises an imperforatebottom 10, side walls 11, which are of equal height, and end walls 12and 13, the wall 12 being placed at the receiving end of the pan andbeing higher than the end wall 13, which is at the delivery end of thepan.

The pans 5 of'the upper section of the separator are arranged'in equalnumbers on opposite sides of the pan 4, and the pans on each side ofsaid pan 4 are arranged on an inclined plane, in stepped relationship,said pans 5 extending 'on opposite sides at an outward and downwardangle of inclination to the pan 4. The arrangement of the pans is suchthat the short end wall of each pan abuts against the long end wall ofthe adj acent pan, thus establishing communication between said pan toprovide stepped and riflied chutes on opposite sides of the central pan4, for the downward flow of the material under treatment by gravity. Thesides of the pan are fastened by rivets or bolts 14 to strips 15 whichare secured to the reciprocatory frame section, and for the purpose ofconnecting the adjacent ends of the pans suitable connecting means maybe provided. In the present instance I have shown the short wall of eachpan formed with a clown-turned hooked or channeled portion 16 whichengages the edge of the long wall of the next adjacent lower pan, and soon throughout the series, said parts being united by bolts or rivets 17,whereby a firm coupling connection is effected.

The central pan 1 of the upper series is disposed at the center andhighest point of said series, from which the pans 5 extend downwardly'toform stepped and inclined planes, while the pan 6 of the lower series isarranged at the lowest point of said series and the pans 5 thereofextend upwardly and outwardly therefrom on stepped and inclined planesand underlie the pans of the upper series. The pan 6 is similar inconstruction to the pan 4 except that it is provided with outlets 18 forthe discharge of the tailings, as hereinafter described.

Associated with each set or series of pans are agitators 19 which extendacross the bottoms of the pans and consist of concavo convex strips ofmetal having right angularly bent end portions 20 secured to carrierbars21, which carrier bars are adjustably fastened to the main frame byfastening devices 22, which permit the sets or series of agitators to bedisposed at a greater or less elevation above the surfaces of the pansto regulate their action on the material. In the operation of the devicethe agitators, being fastened to the main frame, remain stationary,while the pans reciprocate with the reciprocating table or framesections, and hence their relative motion between the pans and agitatorsis established whereby the material under treat ment is kept in constantmotion, as will be readily understood.

Any suitable means may be employed for simultaneously reciprocating thesets or series of pans in opposite directions in unison. In the presentinstance, I have shown pitman rods A and B pivotally connected at theirouter ends with the top and bottom series of pans and at their innerends with the cranks C of a centrally disposed transverse operatingshaft O suitably journaled on the main frame 1. The cranks C arearranged at an angle of 180 to each other, and therefore project beyonddiametrically opposite sides of the shaft, whereby as the shaft revolvesthe two sets or series of pans will be simultaneously reciprocated inopposite directions in an obvious manner.

In the operation of the separator, which is more especially designed forseparating gold from sand, the gold bearing material with a propersupply of water is led from a conductor into the receiving pan 4, fromwhich divisions thereof pass to the pans 5 on opposite sides thereof andflow downwardly along and through said pans 5,

make the water and sand, as well as the particles of gold which are notcollected by the upper pans 5, discharge from the terminal pans 5 of theupper series into the outer pans 7 of the lower series and thencepassing over and down the same to the discharge pan 6. It will thus beevident that V in their course of travel the streams of water and thegold bearing material flow from pan to pan of the upper series in whichthe heavier particles of gold are deposited by their greater specificgravity, and thence flow into the lower pan 7 in which the smallparticles of gold are deposited and so on until all of the gold isseparated from the sand and water, which discharge through the openings18 in the pan 6 into a suitable tailings trough or receptacle. It willbe observed that the pans 7 of the lower series are greater in numberthan the pans 5 of the upper series, so that certain of the pans 7 willalways be in position to receive the material flowing from the outerpans 5, thus preventing any possibility of waste. Inasmuch as the twosets or series of pans are reciprocated in opposite directionssimultaneously, whereby motion is communicated to the material, and asthe material is also agitated, turned over and kept in a constant motionby the flowing water, agitators and surfaces of the pans, it will beobvious that a thorough washing of the material and freeing of the goldtherefrom for deposit in the pans will be effected. The construction ofthe device 100 also provides a long line of travel for the materialwithin a comparatively short area, by which the efficiency of theapparatus is materially increased.

I claim 1. A separator of the character described comprising an upperseries of separating pans consisting of a central receiving pan havingoutlets at its opposite sides and gradient rows of pans arranged onoppo- 10 site sides thereof and extending at an outwardand downwardangle in stepped relationship, a lower series of pans having a centraldischarge pan provided with outlets at its opposite sides and gradientrows of 11.5 pans on opposite sides thereof and extending outwardly andupwardly in stepped relation, the pans of the lower series beingarranged to receive the material flowing from the terminal pans of theupper series, and 120 means for establishing relative motion between thepans of the respective series to effect movement of the material beingseparated.

2. A separator of the character described 125 comprising upper and lowersets of separating devices, each consisting of a'central pan andseparating pans on opposite sides thereof, the separating pans of theupper series inclined outwardly and downwardly 130 from the center panand the separating pans of the lower series inclined outwardly andupwardly from the central pan thereof, the separating pans of each setbeing arranged in stepped relation and the central pan of the lowerseries being provided with an outlet for the tailings, and means forreciprocating said pans.

3. A separator of the character described comprising upper and lowerseries of separating pans, each including a central pan and separatingpans on opposite sides thereof, the separating pans of the upper seriesbeing inclined downwardly and outwardly from the central pan thereof,and the separating pans of the lower series being inclined outwardly andupwardly from the central pan thereof, said central pans respectivelyserving as an inlet and outlet, and means for imparting relative motionto the upper and lower sets or series of pans.

4. A separator of the character described including an upper series ofpans, consisting of a central receiving pan and stepped sets ofseparating pans inclining downwardly and outwardly at opposite sidesthereof, a lower series of pans including a central discharge pan andseparating pans arranged in stepped order and inclining upwardly andoutwardly on opposite sides thereof, the pans of the lower series beinggreater in number than the pans of the upper series and adapted toreceive the material therefrom, and agitators within the pans,supporting means for holding said agitators stationary, and means forimparting relative motion to the sets of pans.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of tWo witnesses.

LYNN W. BARBER.

W'itnesses EDWARD J. VVABY, HENRY MAUCH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

